Spanish refuge: John Davidson at his bar in the holiday island of Minorca

A former detective facing investigation over alleged corruption in the Stephen Lawrence inquiry has boasted ‘They’ll never lay a finger on me’, it was claimed yesterday.

John Davidson has run the Smugglers restaurant in the Spanish holiday island of Minorca for 15 years since taking early retirement from the Metropolitan Police.

The ex-detective sergeant also owns a flat above the restaurant and a nearby villa with a pool two minutes from the beach, as well as a holiday home in Florida, locals say.

Davidson is expected to be questioned by police over claims he helped shield Stephen’s killers following a damning official report into the teenager’s murder by barrister Mark Ellison QC.

But the Glasgow-born 68-year-old, who was nicknamed OJ for ‘Obnoxious Jock’ during his time on the Met, has told fellow expats in Minorca he has no fears about his past.

One neighbour said: ‘He is very sure of himself and very cocky. He struts around like he runs the island. He really fancies himself as the big man.

‘People know about his history with the Lawrence case and have confronted him. He tells them, “They’ll never lay a finger on me. I’ve done nothing wrong. They’ve got nothing to do me for”. He acts completely unconcerned.

‘He has a few friends but many people find him too overbearing, though people are anxious about speaking out because they think he is well connected.’

Davidson, a father of two, moved to Minorca with Evelyn, his wife of 45 years, from their home in South East London.

He has recently tried to sell the smugglers for £290,000, saying he wants to return to the UK to spend time with his grandchildren.

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But without any takers, he has told locals he plans to reopen at the start of the holiday season in May.

A recent picture from the restaurant’s Facebook page shows him dressed in an apparent Halloween costume with white facepaint and green hair.

He also runs an ‘unofficial’ taxi service with his friend’s van, which has infuriated the local cab firms, locals said.

Ghouls¿ gallery: Davidson and friends pose in Halloween make up for picture posted on Facebook

Davidson, who has previously denied sabotaging the Lawrence investigation, was believed to be away last night and could not be reached for comment.

One local said Davidson has told him that by the time he joined the investigation into Stephen’s murder – a few days after the teenager had been stabbed to death in the street by a gang – most of the evidence had already been corrupted.

Scotland Yard dismissed renewed corruption claims against Davidson two years ago, although in 2006 former Met Assistant Commissioner John Yates told a BBC programme about the Lawrence case that he had no doubt that Davidson was corrupt.

Mr Ellison’s bombshell report on Thursday said evidence suggests that Davidson acted corruptly during the murder inquiry. The National Crime Agency will investigate claims that Davidson had a corrupt relationship with Clifford Norris, during the early stages of the investigation. Norris’s son David was one of the original Lawrence suspects and was finally jailed for the murder in 2012.

Davidson is expected to face questioning following Mark Ellison's (left) review into the Stephen Lawrence case

Davidson could be questioned on suspicion of misconduct in a public office or perverting the cause of justice – both of which carry heavy jail terms – by Britain’s new crime fighting force.

The Smugglers, in the sleepy fishing village of Binibeca on Minorca’s south coast, is highly rated by users on the TripAdvisor website for its food – cooked by Mrs Davidson – friendliness and hospitality, although some locals claim it is cliquey, with non-regulars made to feel unwelcome.

An owner of the neighbouring cafe claimed when he opened up four years ago Davidson ‘welcomed’ him by mocking him for having a cafe while he owned a restaurant.

‘He made me feel very small. It’s ironic, because he’s no good at serving tables at all and there are many complaints. He told me he only runs the restaurant to make a bit of spending money so he can go on lots of holidays during the winter.’

Last year the Davidsons put the restaurant up for sale.

An advert read: ‘We have decided to retire home to the UK to spend time with our families and enjoy our grandchildren.’